Detector or feeler-point.



No; 882,992. PATENTED MAR. 24,1908.

. E. A. BOSTROM.

DETECTOR 0R FEELBR POINT APPLICATION FILED JULY 11,1907.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIOE.

.ERNsT ALFRED BOsTRoM, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA, AssIeNoR To CLAYTON & BENTLEY 00., A CORPORATION OF GEORGIA.

DETECTOR OR FEELERPOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 24, 1908.

Application filed July 11, 1907. Serial No. 383,238.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNsT ALFRED Bos- TROM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Detectors or Feeler-Points; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descri tion of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to automatic loomstopping mechanism, and more particularly to what is commonly designated as afeeler pointer, or finger and my object is to provide a finger of the character specified, which will be found very sensitive and reliable in its operation and at the same time will be suflicientlyyielding in character to prevent engaging with and tearing the cloth and always possess the power of automatically assuming its normally upright position upon the cloth.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter. referred to and more particularly pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of my invention complete, as applied to use upon the loom-stopping mechanism, illustrated and described in Letters Patent granted. to Wm. F. Clayton and Clifton P. Bentley, #828,534 though it will be understood that my automatic feeler point or finger will be equally applicable and useful in connection with other inventions of the same character and purpose. Fig. 2 is a detail view of my invention on a slightly enlarged scale, showing the feeler point in its normal or substantially vertical position. Fig. 3 is a top plan View of Fig. 2, and, Fig. 4 is a similar view to that presented in Fig. 2, except that certain parts are shown in section.

For convenience of description, and reference to the various details of my invention and cooperating accessories, numerals will be employed, the same numeral applying to a corresponding part in the several views.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the feeler arm of the usual or any preferred con struction, which, in this instance, is connected to, or forms an integral part of the anchoring rod 2, having the right angled detent holding extension 3, such detent being designated by the numeral 4 and is suspended above a moving part of the loom, or snake head, as indicated by the numeral 5. The anchoring member 2 is mounted upon the breast beam 6, or other convenient part of the loom by any suitable means, as by the bearing seats 7 and the arm 1 is provided at its free end with the pivoted finger or feeler point 8, preferably secured in a slot 9 in the end of the arm, as by a rivet or split key 10, or equivalent means.

It will be observed that the upper end of the finger is slightly enlarged so at present the curved edge 11 and the upper rounded edge 12 for cooperation with the movable collar 13, the latter being loosely mounted upon a contiguous part of the arm and held normally against the curved edge of the finger by a suitable spring 14, anchored in place by means of the stationary collar 15, locked in position by the set screw or equivalent means 16.

The tension of the spring 14 is at all times sufficient to cause the collar 13 to normally hold the finger or feeler point 8 in a vertical position and at the same time permit the feeler point to yield against any obstruction in the cloth until said Obstruction has been passed, when the finger willbe automatically restored to its normal position. It may be stated in this connection that should the thread, carried by the shuttle become broken, the filling or cross threads will be absent and when the cloth is automatically wound or drawn under the arm 1, towards the winding roller commonly provided upon all looms, the feeler point will, by reason of the absence of such threads, drop down between the warp threads and incidentally lower the arm or ex tension 3, and the detent 4 so that the moving part 5 of the loom will be engaged by the detent and the loom stopped.

If the finger or feeler point should come in contact with a raised thread or a lump of cotton, which may have been incorporated in the cloth, or, if for any other reason, the point should be caught in the cloth, said point will not tear, but will automatically yield until said point rides out of or over the obstruction and by the force of the spring 14, will instantly and automatically re-assume its normally upright position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The degree of tension exerted by the spring 14 may be readily varied, or regulated, at will, by a proper location of the stationary collar 15 and its set screw '16. The rounded edge 11 is formed in such a manner that the movable collar 13 will al' ways ride over the same and quickly force the finger into a vertical position, the tension of the spring 14 being at all times directed against said collar.

The upper rounded edge 12 is provided with a shoulder 17, so that should the finger be moved forwardly, the shoulder 17 will engage the edge of the collar 13 and prevent the finger from moving into alinement with the arm 1, for without the limitation of the forward movement of the arm, the edge 12 would be engaged by the collar 13, thereby preventing the finger from automatically returning to its vertical position, while it will be seen that with the provision of the shoulder, the finger will always be held in position to receive pressure from the spring 14, so that as soon as the finger has passed over the obstruction, it will immediately return to its vertical position, the shoulder being so located that the finger will move forwardly a sufficient distance to readily pass over any obstructions on the cloth.

In Fig. 4 of the drawing, the finger, or feeler point, 8 is shown as being directed inwardly beneath the arm 1 in full lines and in its outward position in dotted lines, though the finger will-seldom, if ever, be moved'to such an extent or degree in practice.

. It will be seen that my detector or feeler point is of very simple, though reliably efficient construction, there being no parts liable to get out of order or fail in the performance of their office, and while I have described the preferred combination and construction of parts, I wish to comprehend such equivalents as fairlyc'ome within the scope of my inven tion.

What I claim is:

1. The herein described automatic feeler point, or detector finger, comprising the combination with a feeler arm; of a finger normally disposed in a substantially vertical position, a movable collar, bearing against said finger and means to direct said collar against said finger with sufficient force to restore the finger to its normal position if removed therefrom.

2. A detector or feeler point, for looms, consisting of the combination with a feeler arm, having a slot; of a normally vertically disposed finger, pivoted in said slot and means consisting of a movable collar and a controlling spring adapted to hold said finger normally in an upright position.

3. The combination with the finger arm, having a slot in its free end; of a detector point or finger pivoted in said slot and having a curved edge, a movable member fitting around said arm and bearing against said curved edge, and means to regulate the force brought to bear by said collar against said edge.

4. The combination with a feeler arm, having a slot in one end thereof; of a finger piv otally mounted in said slot, said finger having curved portions on one edge, spring-operated means on said arm adapted to engage said curved sections and normally hold the finger in a vertical position and means to limit the forward swing of the finger.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ERNST ALFRED BOSTROM.

Witnesses:

H. O. CALDWELL, W. J. FAGAN. 

